Where does “penstick” come from?

penstick (English) comes from English pen, from English penetration, from Middle English penetracioun, from Old French penetracïon, from Latin penetrātiō, from Latin -tiō, from Latin dissertātiō, from Latin dissertus — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.

Ancestry of “penstick”, step by step

penstick traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English pen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpenAn enclosure used to contain domesticated...
2EnglishpenetrationThe act of penetrating something; Specifically,...
3Middle Englishpenetracioun
4Old Frenchpenetracïonpenetration (act, instance of penetrating)
5Latinpenetrātiōpiercing, penetration
6Latin-tiōtion, -ation, -ing
7Latindissertātiō(spoken) dissertation, discourse, disquisition
8Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
9Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
10Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
11Latincalceusshoe
12Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
13Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

via English stick

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstickAn elongated piece of wood or similar material,...
2Middle Englishstikketwig, branch; kindling, twigs used as a...
3Old Englishsticcastick
4Proto-West Germanic*stikkōstick, pole
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξEvery word from Latin -tiōEvery word from Latin dis-